Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Noli mum on possibility of becoming President

By ROY C. MABASA
December 2, 2009, 6:45pm

How does one become a President without even trying?

This is the status that Vice President Manuel “Noli” De Castro has found himself in as calls for President Arroyo to step down gained momentum. De Castro is next in line to take over the highest office in the land.

Calls are mounting for Mrs. Arroyo to resign as Chief Executive after she formally filed her certificate of candidacy for the congressional seat in the 2nd district of Pampanga.

Political pundits are one in saying that since she is still the sitting president, she will not be able to fulfill diligently her duties as Chief Executive while running for Congress.

They have been urging President Arroyo to take a leave of absence and let Vice President De Castro assume the presidency until a new president is elected and proclaimed next year.

Even former President Fidel Ramos has told President Arroyo to resign.

Ramos said that while there is no legal impediment to Mrs. Arroyo’s congressional bid, her position gives her undue advantage in her forthcoming electoral campaign in Pampanga’s second district.

However, sources inside the camp of the Vice President are saying that De Castro believes that the President has no reason to resign since there is no law that prohibits her from running for another elective government position during her incumbency.

As of press time, De Castro still refused to be interviewed on anything related to politics. He also did not file any certificate of candidacy for next May’s elections, triggering speculations that he might have known Mrs. Arroyo’s plans to run in Pampanga.